Police investigating a hit-and-run in Burnley in which a white man was hit by a car driven by an Asian man say they are treating the incident as racially motivated.
The man was walking with a friend at 9 p.m. yesterday when the car containing four Asian males pulled up alongside them.
A Lancashire police spokesman said there was a verbal exchange, allegedly of a racist nature, and the car drove off.
"It [the car] turned around and came back towards the two men," he said. "One jumped out of the way but the other was struck. He was taken to Burnley General Hospital with leg injuries. The car did not stop and we are appealing for witnesses."
Det Supt Paul Buschini said: "This was a very dangerous incident and the victim suffered a broken leg, but he could have been much more seriously injured or killed."
The spokesman said it is unclear whether the incident was related to recent trouble in Burnley and urged people not to overreact.
PA